Driving mechanism for traction-engines.



No. 887,410. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

' W. P. MATHEWS.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRACTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 19o7Wz'lreeaaea. fill/61 for:

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and has at one end UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. MATHEWS, OF KERNERSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

Application filed May 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM P. MATHEWS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kernersville, in the county of Forsyth and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DrivingMechanism for Traction Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

This mechanism is constructed to drive a traction-engine at either oftwo speeds, a sleeve being revolubly mounted on the driving shaft andprovided with a clutch for causing it to rotate with the shaft, and twogears of different size being revolubly supported on the sleeve andprovided with a sliding key for causing either gear to rotate with thesleeve.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a verticalaxial section of the speed-changing mechanism: the driving shaft 1 ofthe steam-engine or other motor carries a fly-wheel 2. A concentricsleeve 3 is revolubly supported on the driving shaft radial arms 4carrying an expansible clutch-rim 5. A ring 6 is arranged to slide onthe sleeve 3 and, by means of arms 7 which are ivoted both to the ringand the expansible c utch rim 5, to force this rim into engagement withthe rim of the flywheel 2 and thereby cause the sleeve 3 to rotate withthe driving shaft. Two gears 7, S of different diameters are revolublysupported in proximity to each other on the sleeve 3. The gear 7 has akeyseat 9 and an annular recess 10. The gear 8 has a keyseat 11 and anannular recess 12. A key 13 is arranged to slide in a longitudinalgroove 14 in the sleeve 3, being shifted by a rod 15 ex tending througha longitudinal opening 16 in the sleeve. This rod has a jointed outerend 17 which can be folded into a recess 18 in the end of the sleeve 3and retained by a pivoted cover 19. By this mechanism, either gear maybe clutched to the sleeve and may then be driven by clutching the sleeveto the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

1907. Serial No. 374,998.

driving shaft. Or the key may be shifted to lie in the opposed recessesof the gears so that both are free to rotate on the sleeve.

I claim:

1. In a traction engine, a driving shaft, a sleeve revolubly supportedon said shaft, gears of different size revolubly supported on saidsleeve, each gear having a keyseat, means for clutching said sleeve tosaid shaft, and a key mounted to slide in said sleeve and engage eithergear.

2. In a traction engine, a driving shaft, a sleeve revolubly supportedon said shaft, gears of different size revolubly supported on saidsleeve, said gears having keyseats and opposed annular recesses, and akey mounted to slide in said sleeve and engage either gear or disengageboth gears.

3. In a traction engine, a driving shaft, a sleeve revolubly supportedon said shaft, gears of different size revolubly supported on saidsleeve, each gear having a keyscat, means for clutching said sleeve tosaid shaft, a key mounted to slide in said sleeve and engage eithergear, and a key-shifting rod extending through a longitudinal opening insaid sleeve.

4. In a traction engine, a driving shaft, a sleeve revolubly supportedon said shaft, gears of different size revolubly supported on saidsleeve, each gear having a keyseat, means for clutching said sleeve tosaid shaft, a key mounted to slide in said sleeve and engage eithergear, a key-shifting rod extending through a longitudinal opening insaid sleeve, said rod having a jointed outer end, and means for holdingsaid jointed end in straight or angular position.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. MATHEWS.

Witnesses:

L. E. GRIFFITH, W. O. STAFFORD.

